On Food and Cooking

Most people eat because they are hungry; few people evaluate what they are eating and think about precisely what it is (“broccoli is a stalk of flower buds?”) or what it evolved from (“corn is derived from this puny little grass?”). Working with Bo Cleveland, Executive Chef at Middlebury College, we will explore the history of food, starting with the first people who planted seeds and figured out how to “make” plants better (domestication), we will learn why different varieties are good for different purposes (boiling potatoes vs. baking potatoes, for instance), and how to make nutritious meals from simple fresh ingredients.